UNHCR in Italy
In line with its mandate, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) supports the Italian government in ensuring that refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons fully enjoy their rights.
PROTECTION
UNHCR advises key governmental counterparts on policy and legislative developments, and provides technical support to the authorities with a view to strengthening their capacity to ensure adequate responses to the needs of persons of concern to UNHCR in Italy, namely refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons. Furthermore, through its staff and implementing partners, UNHCR is engaged in activities aimed at ensuring full and equal enjoyment of rights by all persons of concern, including persons with specific needs. Direct contact with persons of concern has been instrumental to inform UNHCR advocacy interventions.
Access to territory UNHCR Legal Associates and Cultural Mediators are present in several locations in southern Italy and attend key phases of disembarkation procedures, providing new arrivals with information on international protection and other relevant procedures, through leaflets and group information sessions. UNHCR also supports the authorities in identifying persons with specific needs, including persons with medical conditions, pregnant women, unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), victims of trauma, and survivors of torture or sexual and genderbased violence (SGBV). UNHCR participates in institutional working groups aimed at developing and enhancing standard procedures to ensure that access to the territory and to asylum is granted in accordance with national and international standards. UNHCR staff monitor the implementation of such procedures, promoting the adoption of adequate safeguards.
UNHCR staff are present also in northern Italy, where they conduct capacity-building activities, in close coordination with civil society organisations, to assist the authorities in providing persons in transit with information on accessing asylum and other relevant procedures in Italy. In northern Italy, the team also monitors land border procedures as well as instances of readmission, and their potential impact on access to international protection, focusing in particular on people with specific needs, including UASC.
UNHCR has been working in close cooperation with other European agencies, in particular the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), providing information to new arrivals and liaising to ensure their registration for relevant procedures, such as relocation or Dublin procedures.
Original source and full report: UNHCR.
Posted on 31 October 2017
